Legendary Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch dies aged 67

Virtuoso acoustic guitar player, Bert Jansch lost his battle with cancer on Wednesday morning, he was 67. Jansch formed acoustic cult folk-rock band Pentangle in the 1960s.

His influence has touched the careers of Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Eric Clapton and Pete Doherty. Last year he seemed to have won his battle against cancer when he appeared on tour with Neil Young in the US. He also appeared at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. He was due to appear at a gig in Edinburgh in August but had to cancel saying he was "unwell" and set to spend "at least" one week in hospital, reports New Musical Express.

His "outstanding" guitar skills once prompted Neil Young to put him on the same level as Jimi Hendrix. Born in Glasgow in 1943 he made his first album in 1965. Between 1967 and 1973 he became founder member and guitarist with Pentangle, best known for their 1970 hit single Light Flight.

In a rare interview with the Guardian last year, Jansch said he was "not one for showing off". His friend and agent John Barrow told the BBC:

He was a hard-working musician and a great man. He was very quietly spoken, people used to say to me, 'he doesn't talk much, does he?' But when he could play the guitar like that, why should he be talking?

Jansch had been suffering from cancer for the last two years and passed away at a hospital in Hampstead, north London.